Fire-alarm signaling apparatus.



C. A. HARSCH.

FIRE ALARM SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10. I915- RENEWED APR- 30,1917.

lfiqmwfio Patented Nov. 27, 1917.-

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FIRE ALARM SIGNAUNG APPARATUS. RPPLICATION FILED MAYIO. 1915. RENEWED APR. 30.4917.

31 147376" Patented Nov. 2?; 1917.

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I 1 l I I I I r I I I CHARLES A.

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FIRE-ALARM SIGNALING APPARATUS.

Application filed May 10,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES AUeUs'r HARSCH, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of the Bronx, New York, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Alarm paratus specially having several storles or floors,

Signaling Apparatus, of" Which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fire alarm signaling and involves an arrangement of apuseful in large buildings, one above another. a

The general arrangement provides for sending signals automatically, either by manual or by automatic initiative, from a signal station on any floor to a main station. The system here described is devised and adapted to meet, and meets, all requirements of the Board of Fire Underwriters of the State of New York and the fire department of the city of New York.

A leading characteristic of this invention is the saving of expense and the simplicity and economy of construction of the mechanism of the sub-station signal box; this is designed to be started into operation by breaking a small sheet of glass in the exposed front, allowing a spring-actuated de tent to be withdrawn and a snap action or spring-actuated, pivoted switch-arm to be moved from one contact to another. The signal-box mechanism is novel; it has no clockwork, no regulated rotating motor mechanism; its only motor is the helical or other form of spring operating to snap a pivoted contact arm fromone contact point or position to another. The motor device usually employed to rotate a circuit-breaking wheel is absent in the structure of this call box The substitute for this is one single, regulated motor device located at a separate, central point or station. In the form shown, the motor drives a shaft; fixed on this shaft, side by side, area series or group of circuit-breaking wheels, one wheel for each signal box or station. Usually there are four boxes or substations placed on each floor. It is preferred to place the limit at eight circuit-breaking wheels -on oneshaft.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. eaters.

1915, Serial No. 26,920. Renewed. April 30, 1917. Serial Ito. water.

In this case, every two floors is provided with a group of eight boxes, associated electrically with a group of eight wheels on a motor-driven shaft. Of course, any series of eight signal stations, wherever located, may be associated with eight wheels or transmitters, driven by a common motor de- V1.08. There is a normally closed circuit including a contact'in each call or signal box of the group, such contacts being in circuit in series; a special contact in each box has a special branch conductor extending from it directly to the central point or station.

The arrangement of apparatus at the central station includes this motor-driven shaft having the movable members of the trans mitters, such as circuit wheels, fixed thereon, side by side; the motor is normally held at rest and at each circuit wheel the complementary contact is a spring contact normally held out of engagement with its circuitbreaking wheel. There is a magnet for each complementary contact, the magnet being in the branch conductor connected to the special contact in the box. When the box is operated, by breaking the glass front, a detent is retracted, the complementary contact or circuit-changing arm is shifted or forced down onto the wheel or movable member, the special conductor is opened, and this results in starting the motor, the contact arm is released and drops onto the circuit-breaking wheel, where it is held by positive pressure and a circuit is closed throu h holdingmagnets, thus looking out all t e other circuit-breaking wheels or the series. Thus held, they cannot interfere with the signal first started.

The arrangement for holding, and starting the magnets and the circuit arrangements can best be explained by reference tothe associated rawings.

As a signal initiating means, alternative or supplementary to the call box, there is employed an automatic starting circuit, in which the well-known fire or heat-detecting wire is. employed. This wire consists of a pair of conductors, one of, say, copper, coated with a metal 01 alloy having a low fusing springs. I insulating material, a, and are normally in transmitting apparatus into operation, just as would be done by the slgnal 1f manually started from the box,

It is to be understood'that the use of a single motor, located at a central point and arranged to drive the movable members of a series of transmitters, 1s a great saving in expense as compared with placing regulated.

motors, one in each of a number of signal boxes.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a complete schematic diagram of the arrangement of apparatus and circuits. Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, show the structure of the call box. Fig. 6 is a detailedview of the cam wheel. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of the contacts in the motor-controlled circuit.

In Fig. 1 there is a shaft, 8, driven by a motor, m. There is also shown, for simplicity of illustration, a gravity motor, m, operating directly on the shaft, 1', on which is fixed a toothed wheel, 10, meshing with a wheel, 11, on shaft 8. The wheels, 10 and 11, are so proportioned that the shaft, 8, makes four revolutions to one of the shaft, 1'. A fly, 7, on a separate shaft with toothed wheel, 14, which meshes with'wheel 10, operates as a regulator. On the shaft there is shown characteristically difi'erent movable members 'of signal transmitters like.

circuit wheels, 0, 05, each forming a part of a signal transmitter and each coiiperating with its complementary contact, e. The movable members, 0, d, have a characteristically difl'erent arrangement of teeth, that is, teeth varying in their number, arrangement or grouping. The transmitting member or complementary contact, 0,. is

composed of two springs, 21, 22, with contact points on the adjacent surfaces of the Springs 21, 22, are separated by contact. Springs 21, 22, are carried on angular lever, 23, pivoted at 20. On the short arm of lever 23 is a pin, 25, engaging a cam surface or groove, 26, in cam wheel, is. Cam wheel, is, is fixed on shaft, t, to which is fixed a toothed wheel, 13, meshing with pinion, 12, on shaft, 8. The angular lever, 23, has a projection, 24, in position to engage with the hooked lever, 30, pivoted Referring to circuit wheel, or transmitter, a, complementary contact e, is shown in its normal position, where lever 30 engages the projection 24 to hold the member, e, in an elevated position. In each case lever 23 carries a circuit-closing arm, or contact, 9, cooperating with fixed points 32 and 33 in holding circuit of battery 90 and magnet '0, so arranged that when lever 23 is released, arm, 9, electrically connects points 32 and 33. The cam, is, and the pin 25 are so arranged that the cam makes one complete rotation, holding the circuit-closing member, e, positively in operative electrical connection with the teeth of the circuit wheel. As shown in Fig. 6 pin 25 enters the slot in cam, 70, at the gate or unison point, in the cam groove; at the end of a revolution of cam, is, lever, 23, is elevated by the cam and projection 24 engages the hook on arm 30.

' c, d, are located in a separate station, as, for

instance, in the basement of an office building. Upper floors in the office building are shown at 7' and n, and on each floor, j, or 11, there are one or more signal-boxes 40. These signal boxes, 40, are electrically connected with electro-magnets controlling the operation of the transmitters, 0, cl, etc,

Each lever, 30, pivoted at 31, is spring-retracted against the influence of magnets q and 21; each lever 30 is provided with holding magnets, 'v, in parallel, in a separate circuit, including battery 90. Each magnet, g, is in a special conductor, 54, extending to contact 66 in box 40. Signal-box 40 has a lever with three arms, 60, 61, 62, pivoted at 63, and controlled by a spring as 64. There is a stop 113 controlled by helical retracting spring 112. The construction of the box is shown in Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive.

Referring to Figs. 2 to 5, there is a case 100, preferably of cast metal, having a door, I

' stated spring 64 exert's its influence to snap aaaaeve glass sheet 110 and hold contact, 2, in its set.

position. The contact, z, with its three arms, 60, 61, and 62, is plvoted at 63, and as contact, 2, from the set position shown in Fig. 4, in engagement with contacts 65 and 66 into engagement, with the lowercontacts 67 and 68. Contacts 65 and 67 are electrically united by a conductor, 69. Contact 66 is the special conductor contact and con-- tact 68 is a spare or extra contact. The position of contact, a, after it has been released by breaking the glass, 110, is shown in dotted line in Fig. 4. The inner end of detent 113, the end opposite terminal 111, rides on the surface or web, 91, uniting the three arms 60, 61, 62. In restoring contact, 2, to its normal position, after replacing the sheet of glass which was broken in the process of transmitting a signal, the inner terminal of detent 113, is in engagement with V the fiat surface or Web of contact, 2, detent 113 is forced outward and the door can only be closed after contact, 2, has been carried to its normal or vertical position, as shown in Fig. 4. The arrangement of contact, a, presents an unbroken surface at 91 and this surface 91 holds detent 113 in its projected position, thus preventing the closing of the door, which renders closing of the door impossible while contact, 2, is in any intermediate position. With the construction and arrangement of contact, .2, and detent 113, contact can only be restored and the door closed when the contact is in its normal or set position. Contact, '2, has a snapaction under the-influence of spring 64 so that when it is released by breaking the glass it passes with a snap from the normal position to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 4.

There are a series of signal boxes arranged on each floor; I prefer to place four on each floor; and each series of eight heels, for instance, those on any two floors, are electrically connected with corresponding transmitters, the movable members of said transmitters being driven from a motor common tov the series. I have shown, for illustration, one box on each of the two floors, j and n. The main battery is shown at 50. WVire 51 is the common return branch circuit. In branch circuit 51 there is a resistance coil 52, to prevent a short-circuit on the battery. The magnet q, controlling lever 30, is in a circuit extending from battery 50, via 53, q, 54, special contact 66, in box 40 arm 60, wire 58, arm 60 of box 40 on floor, n, to return circuit 51. By this arrangement the boxes are in a normally closed circuit, and any derangement may be immediately detected. Each box, therefore, controls its special branch circuit, 54, including magnet When the glass 110 is broken, detent 113 is released, contact, 2, snaps on to contact 67, opening branch circuit 54, by breaking special branch circuit 54 at contact 65 and immediately closing the main circuit at contact 67. When magnet g, is thus deenergized, arm 30 is retracted and disengages its hooked terminal from hook 24 on lever 23; the complementary contact, e, is forced into engagement with the periphery of the movable member or signal wheel of the transmitter, pin 25 and cam groove 26 in wheel is holds lever 23 in position to maintain member, e, in operative engagement with the circuit wheel; contact, g, simultaneously closes contacts 32 and 33 in a special circuit containing battery 90 and holding magnet '2). When this circuit of battery 90 is thus closed levers 30 of the operating transmitter and each and every other transmitter are held in a normal position so that if any signalbox is operated before the first started signal is completed, the transmitting device of such second signal will be inoperative. When magnet, q, of the first operated signal device released arm 30, contact, 6, was forced down and circuit of motor starting magnet 208, containing battery 201, was broken at normally closed scraping or rubbin contact points 202, the contacts 202 (Fi s? and 8), carried by lever 23, normally rested on the fixed conducting plate 212 (Fig. 8), and when lever 23 assumed a depressed position contacts 202 moved down and were open, as shown in Fig. 7; it resulted that armature 203 of magnet 208, pivoted at 204, and retracted by spring 205, was withdrawn from the path of fly, f, and the motor, m, started into operation. The indicating apparatus, 300, shown as a recorder, is in circuit with battery 301, in which the circuit-closing point 302 of signal transmitters 0 and d are included in series. This recorder, 300, may be located in the same station with the mo tor device orin a separate and remote station. In the same circuit with recording magnet 300 are audible vibrating electromagnetic alarm bells, like 320. Such alarms are located on each floor like those shown at and n. r

In order that the same signal described as initiated by breaking the glass door of a box may be transmitted automatically from an alternative automatic circuit closer, I arrange on the wall or ceiling on .each floor, the well-known fire-detecting wire, consisting of two parallel conductors separated by a permeable insulating material and a fusible conductor, the arrangement being such that when the temperature is elevated, as by a conflagration, the easily fusible metal will melt and connect the two wires or conductors electrically. For this purpose I arrange to shunt the magnet q. The fire-despecial conductors at 43 and 44. The conductor 44 extends from conductor, 3 to the armature, 311, of magnet, 310, of an automatic ,electro-magnetic circuit-breaker, through break point, 312,and the coil of magnet 310, to a point in conductor 54 on one side of magnet q; The conductor 43 extends from conductor w directly to a point in conductor 54 on the opposite side of mag net It results from this that when the fire-detecting wires 12: and y are electrically connected, the magnet, g, is cut out of circuit or short circuited, from one terminal of 9, via 43, m, y, 44, 312, coil of magnet 310, to the other terminal of magnet The current from battery 50 and wires 53 and 54 flows in this circuit, momentarily energizes the coil of magnet 310, its armature is attracted and the circuit is broken at point 312 by the dropping of the shutter.

The door-locking device vis shown at 210 in Fig. 2;,a 'tri angular key is employed.

What I claim is:

1. In a fire-alarm telegraph the combination, at one station, of a circuit including slgnal indicating apparatus, a motor, a series of separately operative, characteristically different signal transmitters mechanically connected with said motor, and an electro-mag net for controlling said motor, a series of controlling electro-magnets, one for each signal transmitter, a series of manually operated signal-boxes, each consisting of a snap-action member and three fixed contacts, so arranged, that said snap-action member, when released, opens a first and second circuit connections and then quickly closes the firstnamed connection, there being one signalbox for each transmitter, located at separated .stations, respectively; a series of branch circuits each associated with one snap-action signal box and one of said transmitters, and means whereby operation of a manually operated, snap-action signalbox starts the motor and at the same time renders the corresponding signal transmitter active and the others inactive.

2. The combination, in a fire-alarm signal apparatus of an indicating circuit, a series of characteristically diiierent signal transmitters at one station, each transmitter including a movable and a complementary member; a single motor device at said station for operating said movable members, a series of identical manually operated snapaction signal boxes at a series of separated points, one for each transmitter each of said boxes consisting of a snap-action member and three fixed contacts cooperating therewith, and means whereby the operation of any snap-action signal-box starts its corresponding signal transmitter and disables the other transmitters until the one first started has stopped.

3. In a fire-alarm signal, the combination of an indicating circuit, a series of difierent slgnal transmitters, at one station, each transmitter consisting of a movable and a complementary member, a single motor device common to the series of transmitters, a series of manually operated starting boxes at a series of separated stations, each box consisting of a snap-action movable contact and three fixed contacts, and means whereby the operation of any starting device releases its corresponding transmitter, electrically and mechanically disables the other transmitters during its operation and then releases a second transmitter, the snap-action signal-box of which was actuated during operation of the transmitter corresponding to the first signal box actuated.

4. In a fire-alarm signal apparatus the combination of an indicating circuit, a series of transmitters at one station, each consisting of a motor-driven member and a complementary member, a single motive power common to said series, a series of manually-.

operated snap-action starting devices 'at a series of separated points or stations, each device having a spring arm and three fixed contacts and a frangible sheet to hold the spring arm at rest; and means whereby the fracture of said sheet at any starting device starts the motor to operate the corresponding transmitter and electrically restrains the other transmitters during operation of said transmitter.

5. In a fire alarm apparatus, the combination of an indicating circuit, a series of automatic signal transmitters and a motive power common to the series at one station; a series of manually-operated signal-starting devices at a series of separated points, each of said devices consisting of a snapaction member and three fixed contacts, so arranged that said snapaction member, when released, opens a first and second circuit connections and then quickly closes the first-named connection, a main circuit connected to two of said fixed contacts and a special circuit connected to the third fixed contact, substantially as described.

6. In a fire alarm apparatus, the combination with circuits and apparatus for transm'itting and indicating signals, of a substation, a manually-operated starting device including three fixed contacts and a snap-action contact, a spring for imparting snap-action to said contact, a spring retracted member for normally restraining said contact, and means for suddenly releasing said contact.

7. A starting device for fire alarm telegraph signals, including, in combination, a manually-operated snap-action contact and three fixed contacts, a spring retracted reciprocating member for normally restraindenly releasing said contact,

8. A starting device for fire-alarm telegraphs, including, in combination, a snap action contact and three fixed contacts, a spring-actuated detent for normally restraining said movable contact, means for restraining and then suddenly releasing said detent and means for holding said detent a out-of action while the movable contact is passing one extreme position to the other, as during the process of resetting.

CRLES A. HARSCH.

Witnesses: I

o W. B. VANSIZE,

JOHN C. SANDERS. 

